In the 1984 film “Revenge of the Nerds,” characters Lewis Skolnik (played by Robert Carradine) and Gilbert Lowe (played by Anthony Edwards) lead a group of nerds to stop the persistent harassment of the Alpha Betas student body at the fictional Adams College. At the end of the film, Gilbert stands before the student body and gives a stirring speech about standing up to discrimination.

“I just wanted to say that I’m a nerd, and I’m here tonight to stand up for the rights of other nerds,” he said. “Our whole lives we’ve been made fun of and made to feel inferior.”

In 2024, undefeated Brazilian middleweight Caio Borralho is standing up for nerds everywhere. Unlike Skolnink and Lowe, however, Borralho’s MMA crew, The Fighting Nerds, is bullying the bullies at their own game.

“We’re the nerds that like to fight,” the former math and chemistry teacher turned mixed martial artist told ESPN. “The real goal (of The Fighting Nerds) is to inspire people,” Borralho said. “There’s a message for all the people that have been bullied around the world. Some kids wear glasses and they don’t like it because they think they’re ugly. Imagine (what it’s like) to see the best fighters in the world kicking the s— out of people and being proud to wear their glasses?”

The San Paulo, Brazil-based collective has had a remarkable run since Borralho’s UFC debut in 2022. Led by Borralho and head coach Pablo Sucupira, The Fighting Nerds consists of Carlos Prates (19-6, 3-0 UFC), Jean Silva (14-2, 3-0 UFC), Mauricio Ruffy (10-1, 1-0 UFC) and Bruna Brasil (10-4-1, 2-2 UFC) and has become one of the fastest growing gyms in MMA.

Before making their living in MMA, Borralho and Sucupira were nerds who eventually found common ground. Sucupira worked as a copywriter for a marketing agency before pursuing a career as a boxer and kickboxer. A knockout loss in a Muay Thai bout in 2009 made the Brazilian realize that he was more built for creating game plans than executing them, as his body couldn’t carry out the ideas he had during a fight. He opened a gym in the small town of Barra Funda called the Combat Club and met a young fighter named Caio Borralho who needed a striking coach. Sucupira became enamored with Borralho, noting his analytical approach to fighting. Unlike Sucupira, Borralho possessed both the intellect and athleticism to execute game plans based on deciphering tendencies and patterns to put himself in the best position to win.

“He was like me, we prefer to be rational than emotional when it comes to fighting,” Sucupira said. “We looked at it like a math problem and when you prepare for an exam, you have to be calm, relaxed and think before you answer, especially when the adrenaline is pumping, to do your best work.”

“We approach fighting differently,” Borralho said. “We analyze everything — stats, mechanics, movements, patterns. We’re just different in this game.”

Because of their respective backgrounds and their analytical approach to the fight game, Borralho and Sucupira decided to call themselves The Fighting Nerds.

“Fighting and nerds are two opposites that, when you put them together, make a powerful mix,” Sucupira said of the collective’s name. “Every fighter wants to be more intelligent and every nerd wants to be brave.”

Borralho (16-1, 6-0 UFC) will look to add to The Fighting Nerds’ run when he takes on former title contender Jared Cannonier in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday. A win would put him in middleweight title contention. But just as important, Saturday’s win over Borralho will give him a chance to show off The Fighting Nerds’ favorite goggles.

The glasses, which are glued in the middle to symbolize the stereotype of nerds whose glasses are broken by bullies, have become the uniform of The Fighting Nerds.

Similar to the Papakha hat Khabib Nurmagomedov wore in tribute to his native Dagestan, The Fighting Nerds wear their glasses on their way to and from the Octagon, placing them on whoever is conducting their post-fight interview. Jean Silva famously placed the glasses on UFC analyst Joe Rogan following his UFC 303 win over Charles Jourdain.

“Our goal is to fight in a big arena with everyone who wears glasses,” Borralho, who has worn them since he was 3 because of astigmatism and nearsightedness, said of the trend he hopes will catch on. What was once something he was ashamed of has now become a symbol of intelligence and strength.

“These glasses go beyond the fight game,” Sucupira said. “If you’re a nerd, you’re probably the best in the class or, in this case, the best in the Octagon. The Fighting Nerds aren’t here to change the fight game. We’re here to change the way people think about the nerds, the ones who study to be the best at whatever they do. We want nerds everywhere to be proud of themselves.”

The Brazilian might not look like the stereotypical nerd with his 6-foot-4 frame and the words “Free Spirit” tattooed on his neck, but Borralho has found an intense game of chess or a night of anime just as stimulating as devising an analytical game plan to pick apart his opponents.

“In MMA, it seems so far-fetched that brains and intelligence can win like this,” MMA coach Din Thomas told ESPN about the rise of The Fighting Nerds. “They strike in a different way that seems more calculated than anyone else.”

Thomas has been impressed with the collective since Borralho appeared on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. As he’s seen more fighters from the gym make their way to the UFC and find success, he’s noticed their highly skilled striking, which can disorient and confuse opponents.

Recently, Prates became the first fighter to knock out Li Jingliang in the Chinese fighter’s 17-year career at UFC 305. Thomas was amazed by Prates’ patience and his nuanced approach to stopping the match.

Prates isn’t the only member of the gym who has dominated with his punches. Women’s strawweight Bruna Brasil put on a punching clinic against standup specialist Molly McCann at UFC 304. Jean Silva’s impressive third-round stoppage of Drew Dober — two weeks after becoming the first fighter to knock out Charles Jourdain at UFC 303 — raised some eyebrows, while Mauricio Ruffy’s performance in his promotional debut at UFC 301, when he finished Jamie Mullarkey in the first round, reinforced the idea that something special was happening in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

“Their rhythm, timing and ability to see what’s happening is incredibly impressive,” Thomas said.

The Fighting Nerds still have a long way to go before they are recognized as one of the best teams in MMA, but much like the acquisition of New Zealand’s City Kickboxing a few years ago, they have the talent that is ready to fight and firing on all cylinders at the right time.

“Every year is the year of The Fighting Nerds takeover and we’re just getting started,” Borrahlo said. “Next year is going to be even bigger with me and my (middleweight) title, Jean Silva and Carlos Prates coming up the ranks and our army of fighters coming to the UFC. We’re here to make our dreams come true.”

The world may find out when the leader of The Fighting Nerds steps into the Octagon against a former title contender currently ranked No. 5 by the UFC at middleweight. As it stands, the top half of the UFC’s middleweight division could use an injection of new blood into title contention, with mainstays Robert Whittaker, Israel Adesanya, Marvin Vettori and Cannonier all having fought for or been champions. Should Borralho pass the test against the heavy-handed Cannonier, Borrahlo could find himself directly in the title picture in 2025 with potential showdowns with Nassourdine Imavov, Khamzat Chimaev or Sean Strickland all within reach.

“I’m the new generation of the division,” Borralho said. “After I finish Jared, there will be no more conversations. I’m going to be the next contender in the middleweight division.

After Skolnik and Rowe give their speeches in the finale of Revenge of the Nerds, their Tri-Lambs sorority moves into the Alpha Betas dorm, while the students of Adams College show their support by chanting “Nerds” as the credits roll.

If that film is any indication, it’s safe to say The Fighting Nerds are well on their way to taking over the UFC.